THE EVALUATION Report on Highland 2007 published last month by the Centre for Cultural Policy Research at the University of Glasgow presented a predictably mixed picture on the effectiveness of the project in generating visitor numbers, economic activity and publicity (and let’s face it, artistic achievement was not why the then-Scottish Executive cooked it up in the first place).

The researchers agreed that the event had not succeeded in generating sufficient awareness outside of the Highlands and Islands (and many people still claim to have had little awareness of it even within the region, although that need not necessarily have been Highland 2007’s fault).

On the credit side, the report noted significant visitor impact (an estimated 520,000 additional day visits and 43,000 overnights), generating some £6.1 million extra expenditure. Casual or short term employment opportunities were created, and significant investment was made in both large and small capital projects, with a resulting strengthening of the cultural infrastructure, resources and access.

The report also suggested that “a total of 80% of Highland Council residents felt that the year’s events had an impact on the identity and prosperity of the Highlands and Islands, with more than a quarter believing this to be a major impact. Residents also claimed to have a greater level of familiarity with the region and its culture post-Highland 2007″ while “promoters reported many benefits related to the social capital of the Highlands and Islands, including increased involvement of young people in community life and a stronger sense of collective achievement and potential.”

As someone who is far from convinced of the effectiveness of such all-encompassing promotions, I have to conclude that it seems that the jury remains out on their real merits or otherwise. With the Year of Homecoming about to launch, however, they are clearly not going to disappear, and we await with interest the impact of that imminent extravaganza.

Meanwhile, those keen to pick over the bones can download a full copy of the 112-page report from the Highland 2007 website.  

December sees the return of the annual Scots Trad Music Awards, sponsored by MG Alba this year and taking place at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow (5-6 December) this year after a couple of sojourns to Fort William. Naturally, many artists from the Highlands & Islands are among the nominees, as is the subject of last month’s Venue Profile, Glenuig Hall, and the Wrigley Sister’s Centre of Music in Kirkwall. Full details of the nominees can be read at the Hands Up For Trad website.

It will be interesting to see what the impact will be of Eden Court’s new levy of a 5% fee for online and phone bookings, effective from 1 January 2009, and an 80p charge for any customers wishing to have tickets they have ordered posted to them, effective from the same date. If significant numbers of canny customers decide not to incur the latter charge, but to pick up their tickets at the show, congestion around the box office on busy nights could be chaotic.

Our main interview this month sets the stage for the final phase of Inverness Old Town Art, a multifaceted project scheduled to run until the end of 2009. Lead artist Matt Baker and project coordinator Susan Christie update us on the main projects in the months ahead, with the Ramada Hotel as the principal standard bearer (and there are a number of smaller initiatives underway in addition to those discussed in the interview).

Marcus Wilson, whose adventures in Arizona have been the subject of a colourful Blog in November, also caught up with re-discovered singer Vashti Bunyan as a new film on her life and work is about to be released.

As is our custom, NORTHINGS will operate as a “double issue” for December and January, which effectively means that this Editorial will take a break in January, but – with the exception of the two weeks or so around Christmas and New Year – we will continue to add new reviews and features during that period. Finally, we wish all our readers the compliments of the season, however you chose to mark it.

Kenny Mathieson
Commissioning Editor, Northings

Kenny Mathieson lives and works in Boat of Garten, Strathspey. He studied American and English Literature at the University of East Anglia, graduating with a BA (First Class) in 1978, and a PhD in 1983. He has been a freelance writer on various arts-related subjects since 1982, and contributes to the Inverness Courier, The Scotsman, The Herald, The List, and other publications. He has contributed to numerous reference books, and has written books on jazz and Celtic music.